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Spring Clean | Cilantro Detox Pesto

Imagine sunflowers floating on rafts on a pond. Then imagine that there are many ponds ~ sunflower rafts as far as your eye can see.

Then imagine these sunflowers are growing on rafts in ponds that surround the Chernobyl nuclear site in the Ukraine. Odd? Beautiful? Gesture of Peace?

If you attended my Spring Ayurveda Nutrition & Cooking Class, you’ll know about Mother Nature’s remarkable ability to cleanse, purify, renew and restore her own earth body ~ and our human bodies, too. My last post, “21 Day Challenge,” was dedicated to those gifts of the Earth that emerge in Springtime to naturally and very efficiently help us detoxify body and mind.

A field of blooming sunflowers in the Ukraine

But as talk these days turns to Japan’s nuclear problems and the prevailing westerlies carrying waste on the wind and radioactivity with the rain, I think even more about this self-regulating, self-restorative, self-renewing intelligence of nature, and specifically about something my brother-in-law, Daniel Goldfarb, a soil restoration expert, told us recently about sunflowers.

In Chernobyl, floating rafts of sunflowers are being used to clean up water contaminated as a result of the 1986 disaster at their Nuclear Plant. Sunflowers remove up to 95% of the radioactivity below ground by pulling contaminants out of the water and up into their root system. This technique, known as phytoremediation, got its roots, so to speak, there in Chernobyl, where the sunflowers outperformed all expectations.

In the meantime, we are eating copious amounts of sunflower seeds and sprouts ourselves, because, I wondered, if they remove radioactive toxins from the body of the earth, could they do the same for our human bodies?

I began researching this, looking at the western and the Ayurvedic literature, and along the way came across this recipe for a Sunflower Seed & Cilantro Pesto that harnesses not only sunflower power, but also cilantro for its super scour muscularity in eviscerating heavy metals and toxic waste.

Surprisingly, for something so green, so clean, so good for you ~ this is outrageously delicious.

Cilantro Pesto

In making this “Pesto” myself, I wanted to increase the fire element since greens and nuts can be hard to digest. To that end, I added ginger, asafoetida and a dash of cayenne.

I also wanted to be sure that the organs of elimination were well lubricated so toxins would definitely be removed and not just swished around the body, exchanging places and causing more damage. The original recipe had plenty of flaxseed oil to help with that but, unless you are Vegan, I suggest adding a spoonful of ghee because it both enkindles the digestive fire AND is mighty efficient at loosening toxins and carrying them away.

With Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Sprouts

If you tried it at my house last week, you tried a batch with three times too much flaxseed oil. Ech! Try making this yourself with the correct proportions, as below. Or, come back over and I will make you a fresh batch. I want everyone to have some. It is Spring’s divine joy in every bite, so healing and so promising!

This is how I make it now ~

PLEASE NOTE: I now add 1 teaspoon chlorella to this recipe, because cilantro can mobilize more toxins then it can carry out of the body, and Chlorella is a potent intestinal toxin-absorbing agent necessary for efficient elimination.

Double Click for Print Version

The original recipe is a more scientifically named Coriander Chelation Pesto, and comes from the sweet souls at Essential Oils for Healing. This is how they describe its benefits ~

The main ingredient, Cilantro (aka: fresh coriander/Chinese parsley), is probably the most powerful natural chelating agent around. Besides being a renown culinary herb in Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines, Cilantro has a long 7000 year history as a medicinal herb. Both the fresh greenery & seeds are also resources of powerfully healing essential oils. Cilantro contains chemical compounds that bind to the heavy metals, loosening them from the tissues, blood and organs. Cilantro’s chemical compounds then aid transport of these harmful substances out of the body through channels of elimination.

This recipe combines cilantro with other ingredients that have a synergistic effect. They cleanse the tissues by increasing the urinary excretion of mercury, lead and aluminum.

This great recipe is not only easy-to-make, but delicious on toast, baked potatoes and pasta.

Two teaspoons of this pesto daily for three weeks is purportedly enough to substantially clear these toxic metals from the body. It is recommended to repeat this cleanse as a preventative measure at least once a year for three weeks.

I like it generously spread on raw Flaxseed Crackers, which you can make at home. Eat, Taste, Heal has a great recipe, only I find it easier to pick up a box of Savory Flackers. Let me know what you think.

14 thoughts on “Spring Clean | Cilantro Detox Pesto”

I am an architectural antiques dealer here in philly. I was told by my doctor that my lead levels were 14 times higher than anyone he’s ever tested. he asked me if I was showing any symptoms . I wasn’t then 3 years ago but am now. so I am very interested in this recipe. I was at a permaculture meeting this week and heard sunflowers could clean the lead out of soil then lo and behold I found your site. so thanks alot, John

Hello John,
I am so glad you found this recipe so you can be free of the lead and continue with your work, restoring our heritage and preserving beauty. The ancient science of Vaastu reminds us that proportion alignment and visual inspiration encourage good health, physically and mentally, individually and culturally. So, to your good health!
Laura

You have inspired me to try making my own flax seed crackers! I will try making the pesto after tomorrow’s trip to the farmers market.

Just thought I would share how I made the flax seed crackers because they were so easy. Many of the recipes I found on the internet all incorporated a dehydrated, which I don’t have, so I improvised.
I ended up making 2 batches. One of just plain crackers and the other I seasoned with sesame seeds, crushed mustard and coriander seeds and a little sprinkle of garlic powder. I put 2 cups of whole flax seed in a bowl and put just enough water in to just cover all the seeds. I think the ratio was 2 cup flax seed 3 cups water. I let them sit for 30 minutes on the counter. Then I spread the seeds onto 2 separate cookie sheets, lined with parchment paper. I sprinkled one with the seasonings and one I left plain. I then put them in a 200 degree oven for about 6 hours or until crisp throughout.
They were fun to make and good to eat! Thanks for the idea Laura. Can’t wait to spread the pesto on them now ;)

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Hi, I'm Laura and it's an honor to offer you this collection of whole food recipes, along with ideas and resources to inspire. I invite you to join in celebrating nature's nourishment by registering to receive Food-A Love Story for free. Just enter your email address below for 2-3 new recipes each month. Thank you.